


How Did We End Up Here (Take Me Back)

by strangestolive



Category: IT (2017)
Genre: M/M, Reddie, Stozier, When We First Met AU, richie is lovestruck puppy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 03:43:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13778937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangestolive/pseuds/strangestolive
Summary: When Richie is given a time machine to go back to when he first met the love of his life to make everything perfect, you know he's going to use it.Roughly based on the Netflix movie When We First Met





	How Did We End Up Here (Take Me Back)

**Author's Note:**

> I've been really excited to write this and I had a blast writing part 1! Part 2 will be up this weekend!! 
> 
> Thanks so much to Jana for being my beta and to Nina Bina for loving my idea!!!

Richie looked around at the crowded living room he was currently standing in. He was dressed up as a Garth, plaid shirt, ripped jeans, drumsticks and all, the only thing he was missing was the drum kit itself. He was holding a beer bottle in his hands which he had been nursing for the past fifteen minutes since he had arrived as he scanned the party for someone to talk to. He spotted another guy across the room dressed as Gene Simmons from KISS and laughed. Deciding that their somewhat matching costumes were something that could strike up a great conversation, Richie was about to make his way over when he was struck from behind, causing him to stumble and almost spill his drink.

“Jesus, you’re not supposed to hit the ref, hit the other players!” Richie joked as he turned around to see who hit him.

“I am so sorry, I blame the guy over there who’s had way too much to drink for knocking into me.” Richie looked over at the guy who was speaking. He was dressed up in cargo green overalls that were covered in colourful patches. _Tom Cruise from Top Gun_ Richie thought to himself. He also had a pair of golf aviators covering his eyes, but his curly hair fell just in front over top in a way that Richie thought looked good.

“I hope that you’re better coordinated when it comes to flying!” Richie teased. The guy in front of him smiled. “Top Gun, right?” He asked to confirm.

The mystery guy nodded his head in response. “Yeah, actually you’re the first person to get that right. Someone guessed if I was a car mechanic!” He let out a small laugh.

Richie fake gasped. “Wow really? I love that movie! Tom Cruise is iconic in that movie, how could anyone not recognize the costume?” He questioned.

The guy shrugged. “Maybe people who haven’t seen the movie?” He suggested with a tone of guilt. “You’re dressed as my lesbian cousin Charlotte, right?”

“Yes, I was gonna ask if you wanted to join my softball team!” Richie joked. “You get a second guess!”

“You’re Garth?” He asked with a smile.

“Excellent!” Richie said in his best Garth voice before taking a sip of his beer. “You know the key to doing a good Garth impression is to make your mouth into a tiny little butthole!” Richie pursed his lips out in a demonstration.

“That was good!” The guy complimented with a laugh.

There was a moment of silence between them. Richie smiled. “I’m Richie.”

“I’m Stan.” The guy introduced.

“Nice to meet you, Staniel!” Richie announced as they clinked their drinks together. “Follow me,” Richie said and lead the two of them out to the backyard and near the pool to have a seat. Richie plopped himself down on a lounge chair and Stan sat down carefully on the one beside him. “So, Stanley, what’s your favourite drink?”

“Grapefruit juice with vodka and exactly three maraschino cherries,” Stan answered.

Richie nodded at the interesting yet very specific drink choice. “Where are you from?”

“A little all over the place, my dad is a Rabbi, so we moved a few times,” Stan explained. “Sort of like an army brat but like a temple brat, but my dad would frown upon the name if he heard that!”

Richie smirked at his response. “Well, I’m a regular brat and I don’t like that name either!” His comeback pulled a chuckle out of Stan which made Richie’s smile grow even more.

Stan nudged his arm slightly and pointed behind Richie. “See what’s going on over there?” Richie turned to see Superman making out with a sexy bunny across the way on the other end of the pool.

“Yeah, things are getting a little frisky there with Clark Kent!” Richie pointed out.

Stan leaned in a little closer. “They are totally going to fall in if they keep going at it like that!” Richie nodded and they both watched for the next ten seconds before the couple toppled over and splashed into the pool.

“Ooh!” Richie winced in embarrassment. “Watch now everyone is going to jump in. Woo party!” Richie called out. The people nearby didn’t say anything in return and all stood where they were, not a single person jumping into the pool. A random guy dressed in a pineapple shirt and straw hat let out a single cheer before awkwardly sipping his drink as everyone turned back to their conversations. “Maybe not.” Richie shrugged and sipped his own drink.

“Oh, and now they’re making out in the pool,” Stan said with a surprised voice despite the situation not being a surprise at all. “Wait I know that guy, his name is Craig but it’s pronounced Greg. We went out on a date once and all he talked about was various types of turtles.” Stan said with a look of disgust.

“Must have been a slow night!” Richie pointed behind Stan this time. “At least you know someone here.” Richie sighed.

Stan nodded. “Actually I came with my roommate Eddie and there he is making out with jello shot doctor.” Stan pointed towards the house where there was indeed a doctor and a skeleton passionately making out with each other against the wall. Richie laughed before Stan turned back to face him. “Do you want to get out of here?” He asked.

Richie tilted his head. He didn’t think that it was going bad with Stan but he didn’t expect for him to ask to leave the party together. “Yeah,” he answered, “I know a good place, do you like karaoke?”

“Um do I like breathing?” Stan replied and with that, the two were off.

Richie ordered an Uber to take them down to a place called _Danny’s_. He led Stan inside and passed all of the small leather chairs sat next to small tables and towards the grand piano in the middle of the room that sat next to a small stage. He slid into the seat and stroked his fingers over the ivory keys.

“Do you know of my pal Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?” Richie asked Stan who was leaning slightly over the top of the piano.

“Yes but I am far more familiar with my friend Ludwig Van Beethoven,” Stan admitted.

Richie shook his head slightly. “Hmmm okay.” He hummed. “So you know your composers! I am more of a Joseph Haydn fan, his friends call him Joey!” Stan laughed. “But he was very dramatic with a slow build. Do you know him?” Richie asked.

“Um, no,” Stan answered.

“Well he’s been dead for over two hundred years,” Richie explained.

Stan rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. “Well, I appreciate someone who knows their music history.” He offered.

“Well, would you like to hear one of his songs?” Richie asked.

Stan nodded his head eagerly. “I would.”

“Great!” Richie spaced his hands apart appropriately and took a deep breath before quickly moving his fingers around with fervor. After a few notes, he started singing loudly. “Get about as oiled as a diesel train, gonna set this dance alight!” Richie sang. “Cause Saturday night’s the night I like, Saturday night’s alright, alright, alright!” Stan listened for a moment before scrunching up his eyebrows in confusion. Richie looked up and saw his expression and smiled. “What’s that face for Stanny? Don’t like Haydn?” Richie asked.

Stan shook his head. “This isn’t Haydn” Stan explained. “This is Elton John!”

Richie just shrugged as he kept playing the same song and singing. He looked at Stan. “Come on, join in Stan.” He said before going back to the lyrics. Stan looked around at the room around them and noticed that no one was really paying attention to them anyways. He took a sip of the drink they grabbed on their way past the bar and swallowed before joining in.

“Saturday, Saturday, Saturday!” Stan sang along with Richie, the two of them with bright smiles on their faces. “Saturday night’s alright!”

Richie dragged his fingers along the keys in a dramatic finish as the song came to an end. He reached for his drink and took a sip and he caught his breath. “How was that?” He asked as he placed his drink back down.

“It was good!” Stan beamed. “Does this place always let strays play their fancy piano?” He asked looking around the room.

“Actually,” Richie started, and Stan’s eyes fell back onto him with a raised eyebrow. “I work here, I am the piano man of this fancy joint.”

“That answers a lot of questions!” Stan admitted, and Richie shook his head. “Oh my god!” Stan exclaimed as he stood up tall. Richie looked up at him in confusion. “Is that an old photo booth?” Stan gaped as he pushed his aviators onto his head before making his way over to the wooden booth.

Richie stood up and followed him. “Indeed, it is.” He said.

Stan slid into the booth and pulled Richie in with him. “I love these things! Come one, think of some good poses!” Stan reached a hand into his pocket and fished around for a quarter to feed the machine.

“Poses? I don’t know I’ve never done one of these before.” Richie confessed.

Stan gasped. “It’s easy, just don’t sit there the same for all four photos!” Stan explained.

Richie listened for the timer tick three times before the light bulb flashed above them taking their picture. He could feel Stan moving around beside him changing his pose for each picture, but Richie couldn’t make himself move. Everything had been moving so fast, the party, meeting Stan, their time at the piano and now here in the photo booth. It was all so fast but it all felt so natural like Richie was supposed to meet Stan this night. Stan had easily been the best-looking guy he had seen at the silly Halloween party, he looked amazing in his tight, green jumpsuit. He couldn’t believe that he had made it this far with him.

The light bulb flashed for its final time and Stan was yanking him out of the booth and pressing his ear against the machine.

“The best part is waiting for the photos to print,” Stan explained. “The anticipation of seeing how they turned out, how great they’re going to look tucked away in your wallet.” Richie could hear the whirl of the machine working its magic before a soft click signaled the photo strip slipping out into the catcher below. Stan reached down and picked them up to look them over. “I think they look great.” Stan smiled.

Richie looked down at Stan and nodded his head. “Yeah, me too.”

Before Richie could say anything more, Stan was grabbing his wrist and pulling him back into the booth. “Come on, let’s do it again!” And Richie couldn’t say no to the huge smile on his face.

It wasn’t much longer before Richie found himself inside of Stan’s apartment. They had decided to slip away from the nightlife and to somewhere more intimate and quiet. Richie sat down on Stan’s long bright turquoise couch, sliding down and sighed.

“Interesting colour for a couch, don’t you think?” Richie asked.

Stan tossed his keys onto the coffee table. “Yeah, I wasn’t so crazy about it at first, but I was convinced!” He laughed.

Richie sat up straight and looked around the decently sized apartment. There was a nicely sized television with an entertainment system. He could see down a small hallway that presumably led to the bedrooms and bathroom as well. Ahead of Richie was the kitchen and dining area where usually a table would be placed, Richie spotted a foosball table and quickly stood up in shock to make his way over to it.

“You have a foosball table in your dining room?” Richie said excitedly. He reached out and spun one of the poles making the players fly around.

“Of course,” Stan said following him into the room. “Some say I’m the greatest.”

Richie gave him a smirk. “That’s because you’ve never played me!” Stan laughed. “Best two out of three?” He asked.

“Oh, you’re on!” Stan reached into the ball drop to pull out a small plastic ball and dropped it onto the pitch before swinging his players towards it.

The rest of the night went even more perfectly than Richie could have wished for. After playing foosball for a while, he and Stan retreated back to the living room to relax and talk about everything and anything. As Richie sipped on the glass of cranberry juice Stan offered him, he couldn’t help but feel a warm feeling in his chest. Richie hardly ever developed a connection with the people he met at parties, let alone go back to their apartments to do anything other than screw around with them. He watched intently as Stan talked about a birdwatching trip he went on last summer and Richie was practically oozing happiness as Stan spoke about a stunning red cardinal.

Richie smiled as he gulped down the last sip of his drink and stood up get a refill from the cabinet. “Want some more?” He asked Stan as he stood, and he nodded before handing him his glass. Richie reached for the pitcher of juice and noticed a picture of Stan with three small boys by a tree. “Who are these kids?” Richie asked and pointed to the picture.

Stan jumped up to stand next to Richie. “Oh, I’m a leader of a boy scout troop here in the city and that’s a few of the boys from our camping trip last spring,” Stan explained with a smile.

Richie felt a smile grow on his face as well and Stan’s eyes practically sparkled in front of him. The moment felt perfect and Richie found himself glancing between Stan’s eyes and lips as he slowly leaned forward. He watched as Stan leaned forward too and the rest was history.

 

Which was how Richie found himself standing in the same living room three years later wearing a poorly fitted blazer holding a flute of champagne as Stan told a speech about how he knew he was in love. In love with his fiancé Bill.

“And since that night when we first met, I knew that Bill was the love for me,” Stan said with a smile. Bill walked up next to him with an equally large grin and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“To Stan and Bill!” A stray voice called signaling the rest of the room to applaud as Stan and Bill kissed each other lovingly.

Richie watched with the fakest grin he had ever made. He knew that his expression probably looked ridiculous but there was no other expression he could make in that moment. A server walked by with a tray of champagne flutes and Richie downed his before grabbing another, throwing that back like a shot of vodka, and then grabbing two more for good measure. He finished them both within a minute but he was still feeling horrible. Looking around at his surroundings, Richie spotted a glass bottle of something and started drinking that too. The burning sensation it left in his throat meant that it was something strong but frankly, he didn’t care. It wasn’t much longer before Richie was sitting on Stan’s powder room floor emptying his stomach into the toilet.

As Richie sat on the cold tile he couldn’t stop himself from replaying the night he met Stan in his head over and over. The night was amazing, they learned so much about each other, their favourite things, their childhoods, their college experiences, they really made a connection. Yet somehow, they had made different connections which were made blatantly obvious when Richie leaned in to kiss Stan and he received a hug instead.

“It’s so nice making friends with other LGBT people,” Stan said, and he smoothed his hand on Richie’s back.

Richie pulled away from Stan and smiled. “Yep. Sure is!”

Thinking about the memory made him throw up again. As Richie flushed the mess away he heard a knock on the door.

“Richie?” It was Stan calling from the other side. “Is everything okay? My aunt said you threw up on her a little as you ran past.” Stan told him cautiously.

“She threw up on me first!” Richie called back.

“Richie, I’m coming in.” Before Richie could protest, Stan was already in the room and kneeling down beside him. “Is everything okay? You seemed to really take advantage of the open bar.”

Richie laughed. “No, oh gosh no. This isn’t about my drinking problems.” Richie explained. “This here is about food, this is obviously food poisoning.” He tried to reason but the slur in his voice easily told otherwise. “I ate a questionable breakfast burrito today, you should never trust gas station food, really.”

Stan tilted his head in confusion as there was a knock on the door before Bill slid into the room and squatted next to Stan. “Hey Ruh-Richie, how are you huh-hanging in there?” Bill asked him. “I brought you suh-some crackers to fill your stomach and a G-Gatorade to replenish your electrolytes.” Bill unscrewed the lid of the bottle then passed it to Richie to have a sip.

The thing about Bill was that as much as Richie wanted to hate him, he couldn’t. It was impossible. Everyone loved Bill. He was charismatic with a huge heart full of so much love for everyone. If someone was down, Bill knew how to cheer them up. If someone needed a ride, Bill was there to drive them in five minutes flat. If his fiancé’s best friend was puking in their bathroom during their engagement party, he was there with crackers and Gatorade faster than he could say lightning.

Sure Richie was in love with Stan, but he couldn’t bring it to himself to entirely hate Bill.

“Thanks.” Richie mumbled as he took a sip of the drink. “I should probably go home.” He suggested as he slowly came to a standing position.

“Good idea, buddy.” Bill said. “I can tuh-take you home now, real fa-fast.” Bill headed out of the room to grab his keys while Stan slowly directed him back out to the front room.

Stan placed him next to the table full of food and instructed him to each a few cookies to fill him up. Richie reached for a fancy looking one which he hoped was chocolate chip when he saw a flash out of the corner of his eye.

“Candid.” A voice said from beside him and he turned to see a boy with feather brown hair standing next to him. He lifted the camera up again as Richie took a bite of the cookie. “Candid.” The guy checked the photo on the screen before looking back up at Richie. “Richie! I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Hey, Eddie.” Richie replied, remembering that this guy was Stan’s old roommate. Stan came back into the room and stood next to Richie.

Eddie reached for a cookie himself and popped it into his mouth. “Hey Stan, I actually have a shoot tomorrow morning and I was wondering if I could slip out early.” Eddie asked.

“That’s fine and oh actually, you could take Richie home with you.” Stan said. “He needs a ride back to his place and Bill is caught up with his brother right now.”

Richie wanted to get home but not with Eddie who he barely knows. “Oh no that’s okay, I can just call an Uber.” He said holding his phone in the air. 

Eddie lifted the camera up again and snapped a picture. “Candid.” Eddie took a glance at it quickly. “You don’t look fine, you look like shit.” Richie glared at him. “You’re a mess, let’s go.” Eddie declared before giving Stan a hug as he thanked him and walking out of the room.

Richie quickly glanced down at the table and noticed a stack of plates. He picked one up and read the words _Bill and Stan, together for Eternity_ and looked at the small portrait of them in the center _._ He slid the plate in his blazer before following Eddie out to his car.

Eddie pulled away from Stan’s place and drove for a few minutes before speaking. “So, explain why you stole a plat that has Stan and Bill’s faces on it?” He asked from the front seat.

Richie sighed and closed his eyes. Eddie’s small car was nice, but he could feel every bump in the road and it was making him want to throw up again. “It’s a long story, I don’t want to get into it.”

Eddie glanced at him in the rear-view mirror. “Is it because you’re in love with Stan?” He asked.

Richie nodded his head. “Yep. I’m in love with an almost married man.” He said.

“Why the hell would you go to a party celebrating his engagement to another man then?” Eddie asked him.

Richie shrugged. “I guess to prove that I can move past this and accept that he loves Bill.” Richie explained.

“Well that seemed to work out.” Eddie mocked. “You’re doing a real good job at that.”

“Shut up, Eds.” Richie scoffed. “I’ll be doing real great when I find my little friend,” Richie stated as he searched through his jacket pockets to pull out a tiny travel sized bottle of Jack Daniels, “Jack Daniels! Nectar of the Gods.”

“First of all, don’t call me that,” Eddie said, “and second of all, you’re a sad sack of shit right now, Richie.” Eddie pulled over the car at the address that Richie had given him and put it into park. “Where the hell are we?”

Richie pushed open his door. “This is my home.” He pulled himself forward to step out of the car.

“No Richie, this is a bar.” Eddie stated. “Get back in the car and tell me your real address.

Richie stumbled onto the sidewalk, catching his balance at the last moment. “No can do, Eddie spaghetti, I have to keep my buzz going.”

Eddie sighed dramatically and climbed out of his seat and walked around the car to scoop up Richie and help him inside the bar. They walked towards a table and chairs that had a red headed girl sitting in one.

“There’s my friend Beverly!” Richie announced as he slid down onto a chair. Eddie stood next to him as he watched Beverly hand Richie a glass of water.

“I see you’re in good hands, now I am leaving.” Eddie said before turning away.

Richie reached up to stop him and pushed him down into the chair across from him. “Stay Edward, I was just about to tell you the story of where I went wrong in life.” Eddie rolled his eyes, but he stayed put anyways. “It was the night Stan and I first met, I had obviously felt this connection with him that he did not feel with me, but I left that night thinking that I had maybe another chance at it with him but no, he met Bill the next day as he dropped off his younger brother at his silly scout camp and the rest if f-f-fucking history.” Richie explained.

Eddie stood up. “That sounds sorrowful, but I have to go home.” He gave Richie a small pat on the back. Eddie looked at Beverly. “Please make sure he gets home safe.”

The fiery haired girl gave him a nod. “Of course.” Eddie nodded back before turning and leaving the bar. Beverly looked at Richie who seemed almost half asleep in the chair next to her. She reached out and touched his arm. “You doing okay, Richie?” She asked.

Richie opened his eyes and nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m just…” His voice trailed off. Richie looked around at the bar. It was the one he worked at, the same one he brought Stan to three years ago. He looked over at the piano and then over at the old photo booth against the wall. The he had an idea. “I’ll be right back.” He heard Beverly hum a reply as he stood up and made his way to the little booth. He plopped down inside and pulled the red curtain closed.

Richie reached into his pocket to fish around for a stray quarter to put into the machine. He felt one under his fingers and pulled it out before slipping it into the slot. “If I could be different, maybe I would be the kind of guy Stan would want.” Richie mumbled as he heard the machine whirl up. “I could be exactly the man of Stan’s dreams and end up with him instead.”

The first three flashes went off, taking a picture with each light but once the fourth bulb flared, Richie felt a weird feeling. He closed his eyes just as the flash occurred and when Richie opened his eyes again, he was staring at his bedroom ceiling.

Richie rubbed his eyes, the heels of his palms pushing on to his face. He slowly sat up in bed. “What a weird dream.” He said as a yawn pulled from his face. Suddenly his phone started to buzz from his bedside table and Richie picked it up to read the message.

His roommate Mike had texted him. _Heard about a great party tonight downtown at a pal’s house. Great opportunity for you. I know you’d have a great costume for it._

Richie’s face scrunched up as he read the text. Halloween was two days ago, why would there be a costume party after Halloween? Confused as ever, Richie unlocked his phone and opened up to the calendar app. He clicked on the today button and it highlighted the day in red. _October 31, 2015._ “What the fuck?” Richie said out loud. “How the hell did this happen? Did I go back in time or something?” Richie stared at his phone for a moment, trying to make sense of any part of this craziness he was experiencing. He looked at the calendar again and read the date over. _October 31, 2015._ His eyes opened wide in realization and he almost jumped up from the bed in excitement. “This is the day I met Stan! This is my do over!” He shouted to himself. “Holy fucking shit!”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!   
> Feedback is always appreciated!!!
> 
> Come visit me on tumblr @totaltozier


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